Glenglassaugh and BenRiach unveil new whiskies

The BenRiach Distillery Company has launched new expressions for two of its Scotch whisky brands, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh.

BenRiach Peated Quarter Cask and Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic

New BenRiach Peated Quarter Cask single malt – matured in quarter casks and described as a “peaty fruit bomb” – is the first release from the brand since its parent company was acquired by Brown-Forman for £281 million (US$405m) earlier this month.

The whisky is distilled form peated malted barley before being bottled at 46% abv to deliver tasting notes of “intense” peat smoke, green pear, nectarine, oak, vanilla pods, a touch of white pepper and a crisp, smoky finish.

Sales director Alistair Walker said: “Smaller casks mean bigger whisky. Using quarter casks allows the intensity of the spirit to shine through by speeding up the maturation process.

“In this fantastic new expression, the peat combines with the hints of pear and peach to produce an extraordinary fully-flavoured dram.”

Glenglassaugh has introduced two new expressions from the Portsoy distillery, Octaves Classic and Octaves Peated single malts.

Glenglassaugh Octaves Peated is one of two new releases from the distillery

Both whiskies have been aged in octave casks, which are made from staves of a used cask and measure approximately an eighth the size of a butt.

The Octaves Classic is non-chill-filtered and bottled at 44% abv, with flavours of green apple skin, yellow plums and hints of black vanilla pod leading to crisp, sweet barley on the finish.

The Octaves Peated is also non-chill-filtered and bottled at 44% abv, and is said to taste of greengage plums, cracked black pepper and subtle peat smoke.

“These wonderfully smooth Glenglassaugh single malts are matured in top quality octave casks which bring a new depth of flavour,” commented Walker.

“And as the whisky has been neither coloured nor chill-filtered, the original flavours, nuances and textures remain absolutely unchanged.

“The result in both cases is a complex and hugely satisfying dram.”